How to clean your sewing machine

Cleaning your sewing machine is a sure-fire way to extend the life of the machine and maintain it in top working condition. If you grow concerned about irregular thread tension or suspect the thread cutter is not working as well as before, this is often a sign that it is time to clean your machine. We’ve put together an easy guide to cleaning your sewing machine.
Clean and Oil Regularly
The more sewing you do, the more often the machine needs to be cleaned. Particles of fabric, thread and dust get left behind on the machine, on the surface and inside. These can affect thread tension and the sewing results. Embroidering is when a lot of ‘dirt’ accumulates due to the high-speed use of the machine for long periods of time. Cleaning should be carried out after this to optimise performance. Also make sure to oil to keep the mechanism working smoothly. Be careful not to use too much oil as sticky residue can be made when oil mixes with lint.
Beware of Loose Thread Remnants
Check if there are thread remnants anywhere in the hook or the hook race, especially if there are tangled threads in the bobbin case area and/or the gears appear on the screen. Thread remnants can also get tangled on the two hook driver cams. You can carefully remove these with tweezers. Sharp or pointed objects such as needles or scissors should never be used for this as this could damage the hook race. Thread remnants or lint can result in the thread no longer being cut correctly or not being cut at all when the thread cutter is activated. This makes it all the more important to clean the thread catcher regularly.
What to Clean With
It is best to clean the hook, the hook race cover, the hook race and the bottom of the hook with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Wipe the hook from the front and back with the microfiber cloth, and also the folded out ring-shaped hook race cover. There are several methods for reinserting the hook. It is important to position the hook correctly on the hook race ring: the left tip of the hook must line up with the left tip of the hook race ring. When the hook race ring is folded up, the hook is moved magnetically into the correct position and clicks into place. To clean under the stitch plate, a brush is more suited than a cloth.
Do not use compressed air to clean your machine or the thread catcher as this can blow dirt into inaccessible areas of the machine that can only be removed by a technician. A microfiber cloth and brush are sufficient. Failure to clean your machine regularly can mean your machine is prone to problems and you may need to replace parts, so make sure to keep on top of cleanliness.